Wakefield Council services over Christmas

Wakefield Council has provided an update on the opening times of essential local services over the Christmas period. 

Staff will be working throughout the holidays to support residents who need care at home, are in residential care, or need access to children’s social work. Plans are also in place so that the roads are gritted and kept clear if the district gets more wintry weather. And staff are on standby to respond in the event of an emergency

Other Council services will be closed from 5pm on Wednesday 24 December and re-open on Monday 5 January.

Here is a handy reference guide to the opening times:

Wakefield One and Town Hall
On Wednesday 24 December, the Customer Access Point at Wakefield One will open from 8.30am to 3pm.
Reception at Town Hall is open from 8.30am to 5pm. Both will then be closed, with normal opening hours resuming on Monday 5 January. 
Please note: The Register Office remains open for pre-booked appointments even when Town Hall reception is closed.

Bin Collections
Each household will have received an updated collection calendar for the festive period and 2026. This information can also be seen on the Where I Live page.

The Household Waste Recycling Centres will open as normal over the festive period except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day, when they will be closed. Centres can be exceptionally busy at this time of year, and the advice is to avoid peak times between Christmas and the New Year, if possible. All the local Bring Sites across the district are available for excess Christmas recycling throughout the festive period. There are approximately 30 Bring Sites for recycling throughout the district offering facilities for a wide range of recycling including: glass, paper, textiles, small electrical items and plastic bottles. For details see: Our Bring Sites - Biffa Wakefield - Working In Partnership With Wakefield Council

Trips to a Household Waste Recycling Centre can be made quicker and greener by sorting out recycling before visiting the centres. South Kirkby Centre is often less busy than Glasshoughton. Visitors are asked to avoid queuing on the road and visit on another occasion.

Libraries, Museums and Pontefract Castle
Normanton Library closes on Tuesday 23 December at 6pm. Castleford, Horbury and Stanley Libraries close on Tuesday 23 December at 5pm. Hemsworth Library closes on Tuesday 23 December at 2pm. All other libraries close on Wednesday 24 December at 1pm. Usual opening times will resume from Monday 5 January. For details see: Christmas and New Year Opening Times 2025 / 26 - Wakefield Council

Pontefract Castle grounds are open until 1pm on Wednesday 24 December, reopening on Saturday 3 January. 

Castleford Museum closes at 5pm on Tuesday 23 December and Wakefield and Pontefract Museums close at 1pm on Wednesday 24 December, reopening on Monday 5 January.

Leisure Facilities
Any changes to opening times will be made available on the Council’s website and should be checked before planning a visit.  

Pugneys Country Park
Pugneys café will close at 4pm on Tuesday 23 December and reopens on Saturday 27 December. Pugneys café/toilets are also closed on New Years Day. The car park will remain open.

Anglers Country Park
Anglers centre, cafe and toilets close at 4pm on Tuesday 23 December and reopen on Saturday 27 December. The centre, cafe and toilets are closed on New Years Day, reopening on Friday 2 January.

City of Wakefield Golf Club 
Closes at 2pm on Wednesday 24 December. Reopens on Friday 26 December. Opening hours variable.

Sun Lane Leisure Centre, Minsthorpe Leisure Centre, and Aspire @ The Park
These close on Wednesday 24 December and re-open on Saturday 27 December. There are different operating hours between Saturday 27 December and New Year’s Eve. They’re closed on Thursday 1 January and reopen fully on Friday 2 January. Check here for opening hours.

Normanton Leisure, Thornes Park Stadium and Featherstone Sports Complex
Close in the afternoon on Wednesday 24 December and reopen on Friday 2 January. Check here for opening hours.

Bereavement Services
The main office at Normanton will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve and reopen on Monday 29 December (normal working hours). The office will be closed on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December. The office will be open normal hours on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December and is open until 3pm on Wednesday 31 December. The office is closed on New Year’s Day, Thursday 1 January. Normal office hours resume on Friday 2 January.

Wakefield and Pontefract Crematoria will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December and reopen on Monday 29 December. The Crematoria are closed on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December. Both Crematoria are open Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 December, closing at 3pm on New Year’s Eve. The Crematoria are closed on New Years Day, Thursday 1 January, and reopen again on Friday 2 January 2025.

The Crematoria grounds will remain open for visitors throughout the whole of the holiday period.

The Book of Remembrance room at both Wakefield and Pontefract Crematoria will also be open every day during the holiday season between 9am and 4:30pm. This includes Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

A service is available for anyone who needs to make urgent burial arrangements each Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday excluding Christmas Day and can be accessed by contacting Wakefield Council Contact Centre on 0345 8 506 506.

Registration Services
The Registration service closes at 3pm on Wednesday 24 December. It is open on Saturday 27 December until 12:30pm, Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December until 4pm, and on Wednesday 31 December until 3pm. Services reopen on Friday 2 January.

The copy certificate service will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December until 9am on Monday 5 January 2026. During this time people can order a copy certificate directly from the General Register Office. Please visit Order a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate - GOV.UK

A service is available for anyone who needs to make urgent burial arrangements or who requires documentation to remove a body from England. It is available between 9am and 10am each Sunday and Bank Holiday excluding Christmas Day and can be accessed by contacting Wakefield Council Contact Centre on 0345 8 506 506.

A service is available for urgent arrangements to be made for marriages or civil partnerships by Registrar General's Licence. The service can be accessed by contacting us or, if outside normal opening hours, by telephoning Wakefield Council Contact Centre on 0345 8 506 506 between 8:30am and 5pm, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays excluding Christmas Day.

Markets
All markets will be closed on Thursday 25 December and Friday 26 December, and Thursday 1 January. For more information visit: Christmas and New Year Opening Times 2025 / 26 - Wakefield Council

Customer Services
Telephone lines remain open 24 hours daily on 0345 8 506 506. Residents are encouraged to report non-urgent matters via My Account at https://myaccount.wakefield.gov.uk/

Social Care Direct
Remain available 24 hours daily on 0345 8 503 503.

All services fully reopen on 5 January 2026.